One of life’s most valuable resources is time, as you’ll never get it back. Time management is therefore a vital life skill to acquire. After all, managing your time is managing your life. The goal is to learn how to make each day count for something valuable and productive. However, it requires a lot of self-discipline and the eradication of procrastination from your life. Especially, as an IB student, You must remember that managing your time and energy is the key to succeeding in IB. When time is used effectively, stress is reduced, and your overall quality is enhanced. Therefore, today I will be sharing three tips for time management in IB.
Create a suitable schedule
You’ve probably heard the saying “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” So, the first and most important piece of advice I can give is to plan. Make a schedule or to-do list that works for you. But remember to keep it short and precise! Do not overextend yourself by making a list of everything you believe you are capable of. Be sensible. Additionally, make sure your to-do list is very specific and comprehensive. Be as specific as you can. Don’t just put “ESS IA”; write down “source for articles, start on methodology”.
Plan your day according to time as well as the activities you want to perform instead of just writing them down for a specific day. You can predict how your day will unfold in this way. I love using the Kanban method. The Kanban method is a method where you categorise all your tasks accordingly, like ‘to-do’, ‘doing’’, and ‘done.’ This way, it will allow you to see a layout of ALL the things that need to be done.
Eliminate distractions. Let your work be work; Let your play be play
It’s simple to get sidetracked, especially at the ping of a notification. When you need to concentrate on your academics, stay focused and stay away from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and others. Consider using the Pomodoro method if you have trouble staying focused. This method boosts productivity by organising the environment around you to be more effective. The best way to apply this technique is to set a timer for 25 minutes, then work without interruption for that time. For the next five minutes of the break, get a coffee, check your emails, or do something else.
I frequently utilise this strategy when doing IAs, EEs, or lengthy essays. After generating a daily itinerary (as described in point 1), I will activate an app called “Forest” (more details in the useful tools section) and use this strategy. For example, knowing that my objective for the day is to complete the introduction of my EE, I will set out 25 minutes to do it and then stop for 5 minutes to do something else before continuing. I shall keep doing this till I have done my assignment satisfactorily.
Start working on assignments early. Work on one thing at a time; don’t multitask
Avoid multitasking because it can make you less productive. Whether you’re studying for an exam, reading a textbook, doing proposals, or taking part in an online forum, concentrate on one assignment at a time and concentrate on the particular work at hand. Sort your projects like CAS, extracurriculars, IAs, EE, and subjects according to significance, then focus on the three or four tasks that are most important and demand the most work.
For example, if you know you have to finish your CAS reflection, English essay, and Glopo practice essay by next week, instead of waiting until the last minute or doing all three at once, you can spread the workout. For example, on Monday, I will focus on doing 30 percent of my reflection and stop there. Then I’ll start with 20% of my Glopo essay and work my way down. Pick up where you left off the next day and continue in the same manner.
Useful tools
Notion
I love this app so much as it is an all-in-one application. It can be a writing repository, task management software, a workout calendar, a database, and so much more. To add to that, it is also aesthetically pleasing. Its wide customizability makes it the best productivity tool. I will always take an hour before bed to set up my notion (I usually use it as a weekly planner) and jot down all my to-do lists for the upcoming week.
Forest
Forest is a useful software that encourages you to grow trees instead of using your phone. By dragging the green button around the circular photo of a plant on the app’s homepage, you may set a timer. Your virtual tree will grow over time, but it will die if you exit the app or use any other feature on your phone for more than a few seconds. If you do not wait out the entire timer, a dead tree will appear in your virtual forest as a reminder that you gave up. You will not receive any coins for the minutes you spent in the app before exiting, but they will be added to your total. You won’t get any coins for the minutes you spent in the app before closing it, but they will count towards your overall daily attention time, which is excellent.
Google Calendar
If you don’t already use Google Calendar or your phone’s calendar, you should strongly consider doing so. The digital calendar informs you of the next deadline and whatever assignment is the next priority. Due to the overwhelming number of assignments and projects, it can be difficult to function without a calendar as an IB student.
IB is a very challenging program. However, if you consider the tips stated above it will make your journey way easier and even more enjoyable.
You may also like…
- Rohan’s Best tool for time management
- Bianca’s advice on how to balance time